Coaxial connector plug using a center conductor sleeve and single point crimping

Abstract

This is a method and associated apparatus for electrically connecting a coaxial connector plug having a hollow cylindrical center pin inside a cylindrical conductive housing concentrically disposed about the center pin with an insulating support separating the pin and the housing to a coaxial cable having a center conductor inside a hollow conductive shield and separated therefrom by an insulating layer without the use of solder. The metod comprises the steps of: exposing a leading portion of the center conductor and a trailing portion of the conductive shield; sliding a hollow cylindrical conductive sleeve over the leading portion; inserting the cable into the plug so as to insert the center conductor and the conductive sleeve into the hollow center pin and the trailing portion of the conductive shield into a cable-receiving portion of the cylindrical conductive housing; staking the center pin at a single point so as to crimp the center pin, the sleeve and the center conductor together by deforming them in a single direction; and, crimping the cable-receiving portion of the housing and the trailing portion of the conductive shield together.

Wherefore, having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a coaxial connector plug having a hollow cylindrical center pin inside a cylindrical conductive housing concentrically disposed about the center pin with an insulating support separating the pin and the housing, an improved method for connecting the plug to a coaxial cable having a center conductor inside a hollow conductive shield and separated therefrom by an insulating layer in which a leading portion of the center conductor is exposed and wherein the cable is inserted into the plug so as to insert the leading portion of the center conductor inside the hollow center pin, the method comprising the steps of: (a) sliding a hollow cylindrical conductive sleeve over the leading portion of the center conductor after the leading portion has been exposed, wherein one end of the hollow cylindrical center pin is disposed inside the housing and has an annular rear flange around an axial opening therein through which the center conductor is inserted and wherein the other end of the center pin comprises a closed tip having an opening therein;   (b) inserting the cable into the plug so as to insert the center conductor and the conductive sleeve into the hollow center pin by inserting the cable through the cable-receiving portion until a leading edge of the insulating layer of the cable abuts the annular rear flange of the center pin so as to insert a tip of the leading portion of the center conductor adjacent the opening in the tip of the center pin;   (c) staking the center pin at a single point so as to crimp the center pin, the sleeve and the center conductor together by deforming them in a single direction; wherein the conductive housing of the plug comprises a hollow cylindrical main portion at least partially surrounding the center pin with the hollow cylindrical cable-receiving portion concentric with the main portion and surrounding a leading portion of the shield and additionally comprising,   (d) exposing a trailing portion of the conductive shield;   (e) inserting the exposed trailing portion into a rear cable-receiving portion of the housing; and,   (f) circumferentially crimping the cable-receiving portion and the shield together so as to bend opposing parts of the cable-receiving portion and of the shield towards one another in opposing directions whereby to crimp the rear cable-receiving portion of the housing and the conductive shield together.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of staking the center pin at a single point comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first single point depression in the center pin;   (b) forming a second single point depression in the conductive sleeve;   (c) forming a third single point depression in the center conductor; and,   (d) placing the first, second and third single point depressions in mutual registration so as to nest within one another.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of inserting the cable into the plug is performed before or simultaneously with said step of sliding a hollow cylindrical conductive sleeve over the leading portion of the center conductor.   
     
     
       4. The method of electrically connecting a coaxial connector plug having a hollow cylindrical center pin inside a cylindrical conductive housing concentrically disposed about the center pin with an insulating support separating the pin and the housing to a coaxial cable having a center conductor inside a hollow conductive shield and separated therefrom by an insulating layer without the use of solder, wherein the conductive housing of the plug comprises a hollow cylindrical main portion at least partially surrounding the center pin with a hollow cylindrical cable-receiving portion concentric with the main portion and surrounding a leading portion of the shield, and one end of the hollow cylindrical center pin is disposed inside the housing and has an annular rear flange around an axial opening therein through which the center conductor is inserted, and the other end of the center pin comprises a closed tip having an opening therein, said method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a leading portion of the center conductor and a trailing portion of the conductive shield;   (b) sliding a hollow cylindrical conductive sleeve over the leading portion;   (c) inserting the cable into the plug so as to insert the center conductor and the conductive sleeve into the hollow center pin and the trailing portion of the conductive shield into a cable-receiving portion of the cylindrical conductive housing by inserting the cable through the cable-receiving portion until a leading edge of the insulating layer of the cable abuts the annular rear flange of the center pin so as to insert a tip of the leading portion of the center conductor adjacent the opening in the tip of the center pin;   (d) staking the center pin at a single point so as to crimp the center pin, the sleeve and the center conductor together by deforming them in a single direction; and,   (e) crimping the cable-receiving portion of the housing and the trailing portion of the conductive shield together by circumferentially crimping the cable-receiving portion and the shield together so as to bend opposing parts of the cable-receiving portion and of the shield towards one another in opposing directions.   
     
     
       5. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of staking the center pin at a single point comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first single point depression in the center pin;   (b) forming a second single point depression in the conductive sleeve;   (c) forming a third single point depression in the center conductor; and,   (d) placing the first, second and third single point depressions in mutual registration so as to nest within one another.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 4 wherein: said step of inserting the cable into the plug is performed before or simultaneously with said step of sliding a hollow cylindrical conductive sleeve over the leading portion of the center conductor.